Prick! Goes the Scorpion's Tail
by NotSorry
Summary: A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die, too." A variation on a fable. Will realises what Hannibal is.


**Based off the tale of the scorpion and the frog, where I got the words that are bolded. The title is variation of a title of a song from 'The Devil's Carnival", a musical. The title of the song is "Prick! Goes the Scorpion's Tale". I do not own the characters or settings, not even the plot, just this variation of a classic tale. **

* * *

** "A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream..."**

A case file clatters out of Will's hands as he stares at a book on Hannibal's desk. His blood freezes in his veins and he feels winded. A glance down confirms that his hands are shaking. He feels sick.

Will looks at Hannibal, who is looking at him with a curious, mildly concerned look on his face. After his revelation, Will wonders how sincere it is.

"Will, are you alright?" Hannibal asks, placing down the psychology text he was browsing through carefully, as though Will was a startled animal and every sudden movement might be conceived as a threat.

Will stares at his friend and lover and knows the betrayal is written across his face in bright, bold letters. "Hannibal..." he whispers, almost a question. Disbelieving. In denial. "You're...?"

"Yes," Hannibal says. He knows what Will's trying to ask. "I see you have finally figured it out."

**"...and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back."**

They're sitting a foot apart on Hannibal's couch and neither of them have spoken for nearly an hour. Will, after getting the confirmation he did not want, simply sat down heavily on the couch and placed his head in his hands. After quickly pocketing a small syringe of a compound that would kill Will like rocking him to sleep, Hannibal sat down next to him and resisted the urge to touch him, to comfort him, because he knew he was the one who was causing all this pain.

"Will," he says eventually. The other man doesn't speak, but Hannibal continues. "Please do not think this means my feelings for you are any different. We are lovers not because of your job at the FBI and place in the investigation into the Chesapeake Ripper, but because I find you to be a remarkable, beautiful man with a remarkable, beautiful heart. And I wonder..."

"What do you wonder?" Will mumbles, lifting his head and leaning back so head is titled back, revealing the long expanse of his neck. He sounds bitter. Sarcastic. "What kind of sauce I'd go well with?"

"I wonder if you will not tell Jack Crawford, or anybody at the matter, about the Ripper's true identity? I wonder if you will protect me?"

**"The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?""**

To Hannibal's surprise, Will laughs. "You want me to protect you? To not tell anyone that the man I'm sleeping with is the Chesapeake Ripper?"

"It would be best, you must admit, for the both of us. This way, we will both be safe. We will be protecting each other." The threat is subtle, but Will can hear it, but he was expecting it. Of course a serial killer is going to threaten him to keep his secret, "feelings" or no.

"How do I know you won't just kill me the second I turn my back, Hannibal? I'm actually surprised I'm still alive. I should be dead and halfway to your dinner plate by now."

**"The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die too.""**

Hannibal purses his lips and very carefully places his hand on Will's knee. He squeezes it and rubs absently while he tries to think of a way to articulate his reply.

"Because if I do, it would be as bad as carving out my own heart. I love you, Will, and I am not one to deprive myself of things I love. Please, do this for me. I promise that if you do, I will not hurt you unless it is completely necessary. Besides... people know you are here, do they not? Jack knows, at least. And you will be seeing him in a few short hours. If you did not show up, he would come here. You would be realises missing soon enough. If I cancelled the rest of today's appointments, it would be suspicious, and I have nowhere to hide your body in my house. I would become a suspect, and it would be my downfall."

**"The frog is satisfied, and they set out..."**

Will takes it, half because he wants to (and oh boy does he want to, he can't lose the one stable thing in his life) and half because he has to. He puts his hand over Hannibal's and can sense the killer's smile.

"I should go," he whispers, standing up. "I won't tell anyone, but I do need time to think, um, and process. You know?"

Hannibal nods steadily. "I understand, Will, my love. Please, come back tonight. For... dinner."

Will grimaces, and turns to the door...

**"...but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog."**

... and feels the sting of a syringe in his back. He gasps, and falls back into Hannibal's waiting arms, and stares into a face lined with love and sadness.

**"The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown..."**

Almost immediately, Will's limbs feel heavy and his thoughts muddled, but one stands out clearly among the rest: Hannibal is going to be caught, because of me, because of this. He's killed us both.

He can see a tear slide down Hannibal's cheek and for once knows how the psychiatrist is feeling. For once can empathise with the most important person in his life.

**"...but has just enough time to gasp "Why?""**

With some of the last of his fading strength, Will grips Hannibal's collar and pulls him down for a clumsy kiss. The tears of both of the men taste salty on their lips and they share one last look. Hannibal's thumb wipes away Will's tears and he whispers soft, loving apologies to the man he murdered.

"Why?" Will rasps out, and can speak no longer. He feels is body sinking, his mind sinking, the water lapping at his eyes and his thoughts, slowly rising.

**"Replies the scorpion: "It is my nature...""**

Hannibal shrugs and kisses Will once again. The man cannot respond, but he can still hear him.

"Because it is my nature, my dear Will. And we cannot fight out true natures, can we?"


End file.
